HPU beats Longwood, 3-1 in Quarterfinals
FARMVILLE, Va. - The High Point University women's soccer team scored three-straight goals to come from behind and pick up a 3-1 win over Longwood in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Big South Women's Soccer Championship presented by Musco Lighting on Saturday night in Farmville, Va. Freshman Jenny Marshall scored two goals in the second half to lead the Panthers.
"This was a very gutsy performance by the team tonight," head coach Marty Beall said. "Longwood is definitely one of the top teams in our conference. They had the better of the play in the first half and took an early lead. I was proud of how the girls kept fighting and never gave in. We came out in the second half and our performance was just great. I am so happy for them to advance to the semifinals."
Longwood got on the board in the sixth minute of the game with a goal on a penalty kick by Kelsey Pardue. The Lancers earned the spot kick when an HPU defender was called for a foul while jumping to head away a cross. Pardue stepped to the spot and hit a low shot to the right to put LU ahead, 1-0.
High Point trailed 1-0 until the closing seconds of the first half when the Panthers earned a penalty kick of their own due to a handball in the box by a Longwood defender. Senior Taylor Parker took the penalty and hit it off the crossbar. The ball fell to junior Sarah Sermonet who crashed on the rebound and scored her third goal of the season, tying the game at 1-1 heading into halftime.
The Panthers controlled play to open the second half and took a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute on Marshall's first goal of the night. High Point drew a free kick on the right flank and senior Brooke Lisson delivered a lofted cross to the far post. Marshall cut in front of her marker and headed the ball just inside the post to put HPU in front.
Longwood pushed forward looking for an equalizer, but it was High Point that found another goal as Marshall picked up her second score of the half to put HPU ahead, 3-1, in the 88th minute. Longwood dispossessed senior Kelli Joline just outside the LU box and Marshall beat the Lancer defense to the ball. The freshman caught the LU keeper off her line as she launched a lofted shot from 35-yards out that dropped just under the cross bar.
The two-goal game was the first of Marshall's collegiate career. The freshman now has scored four goals on the season, all in HPU's last four games.
Longwood ended the game with a 14-11 edge in shots though HPU had a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal. Parker took a team-high five shots in the game, putting two on frame and hitting the goal frame with two others.
Senior Jesse May made four saves in the win for the Panthers. Longwood keeper Shelby Hall stopped three shots for the Lancers.
High Point improves to 9-9-1 overall on the season with the win over Longwood. The Lancers end the season with a 9-9-2 record.
With the win, the Panthers advance on to play the winner of the game between Liberty and Presbyterian College in the semifinals of the 2013 Big South Women's Soccer Championship presented by Musco Lighting on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. The semifinals and championship game will be played in Conway, S.C.
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